It is so great a work which we have
before us, that it is a thousand pities it should be destroyed in the birth, and perish in
our hands. And though I know that we have a knotty generation to deal with, and that it is
past the power of any of us to change a carnal heart without the effectual operation of
the Holy Ghost; yet it is so usual with God to work by means, and to bless the right
endeavors of his servants, that I cannot fear but great things will be accomplished, and a
wonderful blow will be given to the kingdom of darkness by this work, if it do not
miscarry through the fault of the ministers themselves. The main danger arises from the
want either of diligence, or of skill. Of the former, I have spoken much already. As to
the latter, I am so conscious of my own unskilfulness, that I am far from imagining that I
am fit to give directions to any but the younger and more inexperienced of the ministry;
and, therefore, I expect so much justice in your interpretation of what I say, as that you
will suppose me now to speak to none but such. But yet something I shall say, and not pass
over this part in silence, because the number of such is so great; and I am apprehensive
that the welfare of the Church and nation doth so much depend on the right management of
this work.

The points as to which you need to be
solicitous, are these two:

1. To bring your people to submit to this
course of private catechizing or instruction; for, if they will not come to you, or allow
you to come to them, what good can they receive?

2. To do the work in such a way as will
most tend to the success of it.

ARTICLE
1

I am first to give you some directions
for bringing your people to submit to this course of catechizing and instruction.

1. The chief means of all is this, for a minister so to conduct himself in the general
course of his life and ministry, as to convince his people of his ability, sincerity, and
unfeigned love to them. For if they take him to be ignorant, they will despise his
teaching, and think themselves as wise as he; and if they think him self-seeking, or
hypocritical, and one that doth not mean as he saith, they will suspect all he says and
does for them, and will not regard him. Whereas, if they are convinced that he
understandeth what he doth, and have high thoughts of his abilities, they will reverence
him, and the more easily stoop to his advice; and when they are persuaded of his
uprightness, they will the less suspect his motions; and when they perceive that he
intendeth no private ends of his own, but merely their good, they will the more readily be
persuaded by him. And because those to whom I write are supposed to be none of the ablest
ministers, and may therefore despair of being reverenced for their parts, I would say to
them, you have the more need to study and labor for their increase; and that which you
want in ability, must be made up in other qualifications, and then your advice may be as
successful as others.

If ministers were content to purchase an
interest in the affections of their people at the dearest rates to their own flesh, and
would condescend to them, and be familiar, and affectionate, and prudent in their
carriage, and abound, according to their ability, in good works, they might do much more
with their people than ordinarily they do; not that we should much regard an interest in
them for our own sakes, but that we may be more capable of promoting the interest of
Christ, and of furthering their salvation. Were it not for their own sakes, it were no
great matter whether they love or hate us; but what commander can do any great service
with an army that hates him? And how can we think that they will much regard our counsel,
while they abhor or disregard the persons that give it them? Labour, therefore, for some
competent interest in the estimation and affection of your people, and then you may the
better prevail with them. But perhaps some will say, What should a minister do who finds
he hath lost the affections of his people? To this I answer, If they be so vile a people,
that they hate him not for any weakness, or misconduct of his, but merely for endeavoring
their good, and would hate any other that should do his duty; then must he with patience
and meekness continue to instruct those that oppose themselves, if God peradventure
will give them repentance to the acknowledgment of the truth. But if it be on
account of any weakness of his, or difference about lesser opinions, or prejudice against
his own person, let him first try to remove the prejudice by all lawful means; and if he
cannot, let him say to them, It is not for myself, but for you that I labor; and
therefore, seeing that you will not obey the Word from me, I desire that you will agree to
accept of some other that may do you that good which I cannot," and so leave them,
and try whether another man may not be fitter for them, and he fitter for another people.
For an ingenuous man can hardly stay with a people against their wills; and a sincere man
can still more hardly, for any benefit of his own, remain in a place where he is like to
be unprofitable, and to hinder the good which they might receive from another man, who
hath the advantage of a greater interest in their affection and esteem. 2. Supposing this
general preparation, the next thing to be done is, to use the most effectual means to
convince them of the benefit and necessity of this course to their own souls. The way to
win the consent of people to anything that you propose, is to prove that it is good and
profitable for them. You must therefore preach to them some powerful convincing sermons to
this purpose before hand, and show them the benefit and necessity of the knowledge of
divine truths in general, and of knowing the first principles in particular; and that the
aged have the same duty and need as others, and in some respects much more: e. g. from
Hebrews 5: 12: For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one
teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such
as have need of milk and not of strong meat, which affordeth us many observations
suitable to our present object:

As,

(1) That Gods oracles must be a
mans lessons.

(2) Ministers must teach these, and
people must learn them from them.

(3) The oracles of God have some
fundamental principles, which all must know who wish to be saved.

(4) These principles must be first
learned: that is the right order.

(5) It may be reasonably expected that
people should thrive in knowledge, according to the means of instruction which they
possess; and if they do not, it is their great sin.

(6) If any have lived long in the church,
under the means of knowledge, and yet are ignorant of these first principles, they have
need to be yet taught them, how old soever they may be.

All this is plain from the text; whence
we have a fair opportunity, by many clear convincing reasons, to show them: First, The
necessity of knowing Gods oracles. Secondly, And more especially of knowing the
fundamental principles. Thirdly, And particularly for the aged, who have sinfully lost so
much time already, and have so long promised to repent when they were old; who should be
teachers of the young, and whose ignorance is a double sin and shame; who have now so
little time in which to learn, and are so near to death and judgment; and who have souls
to save or lose as well as others. Convince them how impossible it is to go the way to
heaven without knowing it, when there are so many difficulties and enemies in the way; and
when men cannot do their worldly business without knowledge, nor learn a trade without an
apprenticeship. Convince them what a contradiction it is to be a Christian, and yet to
refuse to learn; for what is a Christian but a disciple of Christ? And how can he be a
disciple of Christ, that refuseth to be taught by him And he that refuseth to be taught by
his ministers, refuseth to be taught by him; for Christ will not come down from heaven
again to teach them by his own mouth, but hath appointed his ministers to keep school and
teach them under him. To say, therefore, that they will not be taught by his ministers, is
to say, they will not be taught by Christ; and that is to say, they will not be his
disciples, or no Christians.

Make them understand that it is not an
arbitrary business of our own devising and imposing; but that necessity is laid upon us,
and that if we look not to every member of the flock according to our ability, they may
perish in their iniquity; but their blood will be required at our hand. Show them that it
is God, and not we, who is the contriver and imposer of the work; and that therefore they
blame God more than us in accusing it. Ask them, would they be so cruel to their minister
as to wish him to cast away his own soul, knowingly and wilfully, for fear of troubling
them by trying to hinder their damnation? Acquaint them fully with the nature of the
ministerial office, and the Churchs need of it; how it consisteth in teaching and
guiding all the flock; and that, as they must come to the congregation, as scholars to
school, so must they be content to give an account of what they have learned, and to be
further instructed, man by man. Let them know what a tendency this hath to their
salvation, what a profitable improvement it will be of their time, and how much vanity and
evil it will prevent. And when they once find that it is for their own good, they will the
more easily yield to it.

3. When this is done, it will be very
necessary that we give one of the catechisms to every family in the parish, whether rich
or poor, that so they may be without excuse: for if you leave it to themselves to buy
them, perhaps the half of them will not get them; whereas, when they have copies put into
their hands, the receiving of them will be a kind of engagement to learn them; and if they
do but read the exhortation (as it is likely they will), it will perhaps convince them and
incite them to submit. As to the delivery of them, the best way is for the minister first
to give notice in the congregation, that they shall be brought to their houses, and then
to go himself from house to house and deliver them, and take the opportunity of persuading
them to the work; and, as he goes round, to take a list of all the persons who have come
to years of discretion in the several families, that he may know whom he has to take care
of and instruct, and whom he has to expect when it cometh to their turn. I have formerly,
in distributing some other books among my people, desired every family to call for them;
but I found more confusion and uncertainty in that way, and now adopt this as the better
method. But in small congregations, either way may do.

As to the expense of the catechisms, if
the minister be able, it will be well for him to bear it: if not, the best affected of his
people of the richer sort should bear it among them. Or, on a day of humiliation, in
preparation for the work, let the collection that is made for the poor be employed in
buying catechisms, and the people be desired to be more liberal than ordinary; and what is
wanting, the well-affected to the work may make up.

As to the order of proceeding, it will be
necessary that we take the people in order, family by family, beginning a month or six
weeks after the delivery of the catechisms, that they may have time to learn them. And
thus, taking them together in common, they will be the more willing to come, and the
backward will be the more ashamed to keep off.

4. Be sure that you deal gently with
them, and take off all discouragements as effectually as you can.

(1) Tell them publicly, that if they have
learned any other catechism already, you will not urge them to learn this, unless they
desire it themselves: for the substance of all catechisms that are orthodox is the same;
only that your reason for offering them this was its brevity and fullness that you might
give them as much as possible in few words, and so make their work more easy. Or, if any
of them would rather learn some other catechism, let them have their choice.

(2) As for the old people who are of weak
memories, and not likely to live long in the world, and who complain that they cannot
remember the words; tell them that you do not expect them to perplex their minds overmuch
about it, but to hear it often read over, and to see that they understand it, and to get
the matter into their minds and hearts; and then they may be borne with, though they
remember not the words.

(3) Let your dealing with those you begin
with be so gentle, convincing, and winning, that the report of it may be an encouragement
to others to come.

5. Lastly, If all this will not serve to
bring any particular persons to submit, do not cast them off; but go to them and
expostulate with them, and learn what their reasons are, and convince them of the
sinfulness and danger of their neglect of the help that is offered them. A soul is so
precious that we should not lose one for want of labor, but follow them while there is any
hope, and not give them up as desperate, till there be no remedy. Before we give them
over, let us try the utmost, that we may have the experience of their obstinate contempt,
to warrant our forsaking them. Charity beareth and waiteth long.

ARTICLE
2

Having used these means to procure them
to come and submit to your instructions, we are next to consider how you may deal most
effectually with them in the work. And again I must say, that I think it an easier matter
by far to compose and preach a good sermon, than to deal rightly with an ignorant man for
his instruction in the more essential principles of religion. As much as this work is
contemned by some, I doubt not it will try the gifts and spirit of ministers, and show you
the difference between one man and another, more fully than preaching will do. And here I
shall, as fitting my purpose, transcribe the words of a most learned, orthodox, and godly
man, Archbishop Ussher, in his sermon before King James at Wanstead on Ephesians 4.13:
Your Majestys care can never be sufficiently commended, in taking order that
the chief heads of the catechism should, in the ordinary ministry, be diligently
propounded and explained unto the people throughout the land; which I wish were as duly
executed every where, as it was piously by you intended. Great scholars possibly may
think, that it standeth not so well with their credit to stoop thus low, and to spend so
much of their time in teaching these rudiments and first principles of the doctrine of
Christ; but they should consider, that the laying of the foundation skilfully, as it is
the matter of greatest importance in the whole building, so is it the very masterpiece of
the wisest-building. "According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise
master-builder, I have laid the foundation," saith the great apostle. And let the
most learned of us all try it whenever we please, we shall find, that to lay this
groundwork rightly, (that is, to apply ourselves to the capacity of the common auditory,
and to make an ignorant man to understand these mysteries in some good measure) will put
us to the trial of our skill, and trouble us a great deal more, than if we were to discuss
a controversy, or handle a subtle point of learning in the schools. Yet Christ did give as
well his apostles, and prophets, and evangelists, as his ordinary pastors and teachers, to
bring us all, both learned and unlearned, unto the unity of this faith and knowledge;
and the neglecting of this is the frustrating of the whole work of the ministry . For,
let us preach never so many sermons to the people, our labor is but lost, as long as the
foundation is unlaid, and the first principles untaught, upon which all other doctrine
must be builded.

The directions which I think it necessary
to give for the right managing of the work, are the following:

1. When your people come to you, one family or more, begin with a brief preface, to
mollify their minds and to take off all offense, unwillingness, or discouragement, and to
prepare them for receiving your instructions. My friends, you may say,
it may perhaps seem to some of you an unusual and a troublesome business that I put
you upon; but I hope you will not think it needless: for if I had thought so, I would have
spared both you and myself this labor. But my conscience hath told me, yea, God hath told
me in his Word, so solemnly, what it is to have the charge of souls, and how the blood of
them that perish will be required at the hands of a minister that neglecteth them, that I
dare not be guilty of it as I have hitherto been. Alas! all our business in this world is
to get well to heaven; and God hath appointed us to be guides to his people, to help them
safe thither. If this be well done, all is done; and if this be not done, we are for ever
undone. The Lord knows how short a time you and I may be together; and therefore it
concerns us to do what we can for our own and your salvation before we leave you, or you
leave the world All other business in the world is but as toys and dreams in comparison of
this. The labors of your calling are but to prop up a cottage of clay, while your souls
are hastening to death and judgment, which may even now be near at hand. I hope,
therefore, you will be glad of help in so needful a work, and not think it much that I put
you to this trouble, when the trifles of the world cannot be got without much greater
trouble. This, or something to this purpose, may tend to make them more willing to
hear you, and receive instruction, and to give you some account of their knowledge and
practice.

2. When you have spoken thus to them all,
take them one by one, and deal with them as far as you can in private, out of the hearing
of the rest; for some cannot speak freely before others, and some will not endure to be
questioned before others, because they think that it will tend to their shame to have
others hear their answers; and some persons that can make better answers themselves, will
be ready, when they are gone, to talk of what they heard, and to disgrace those that speak
not so well as themselves; and so people will be discouraged, and persons who are backward
to the exercise, will have pretences to forbear and forsake it, and to say, They
will not come to be made a scorn and a laughingstock. You must, therefore, be very
careful to prevent all these inconveniences. But the main reason is, as I find by
experience, people will better take plain close dealing about their sin, and misery, and
duty, when you have them alone, than they will before others; and, if you have not an
opportunity to set home the truth, and to deal freely with their consciences, you will
frustrate all. If, therefore, you have a convenient place, let the rest stay in one room,
while you confer with each person by himself in another room; only, in order to avoid
scandal, we must speak to the women only in presence of some others; and, if we lose some
advantage by this there is no remedy. It is better to do so, than, by giving occasion of
reproach to the malicious, to destroy all the work. Yet we may so contrive it, that,
though some others be in the room, yet what things are less fit for their observance may
be spoken in a low voice that they may not hear it; and therefore they may be placed at
the remotest part of the room; or, at least, let none be present but the members of the
same family, who are more familiar with each other, and not so likely to reproach one
another. And then, in your most rousing examinations and reproofs, deal most with the
ignorant, secure, and vicious, that you may have the clearer ground for your close
dealing, and the hearing of it may awaken the bystanders, to whom you seem not so directly
to apply it. These small things deserve attention, because they are in order to a work
that is not small; and small errors may hinder a great deal of good.

3. Begin your work by taking an account
of what they have learned of the words of the catechism, and receiving their answer to
each question; and, if they are able to repeat but little or none of it, try whether they
can rehearse the creed and the decalogue.

4. Then choose out some of the weightiest
points, and try, by further questions, how far they understand them. And therein be
careful of the following things:

(1) That you do not begin with less
necessary points, but with those which they themselves may perceive most nearly concern
them. For example: What do you think becomes of men when they die? What shall become
of us after the end of the world? Do you believe that you have any sin; or that you were
born with sin? What doth every sin deserve? What remedy hath God provided for the saving
of sinful, miserable souls? Hath any one suffered for our sins in our stead; or must we
suffer for them ourselves? Who are they that God will pardon; and who shall be saved by
the blood of Christ? What change must be made on all who shall be saved; and how is this
change effected? Wherein lies our chief happiness? And what is it that our hearts must be
most set upon?  And such like other questions.

(2) Beware of asking them nice, or
needless, or doubtful, or very difficult questions, though about those matters that are of
greatest weight in themselves. Some self-conceited persons will be as busy with such
questions which they cannot answer themselves, and as censorious of the poor people that
cannot answer them, as if life and death depended on them.

You will ask them perhaps, What is
God? : and how defective an answer must you make yourselves! You may tell what he is
not sooner than what he is. If you ask, What is repentance, what faith, or what is
forgiveness of sin?, how many ministers may you ask before you have a right answer,
or else they would not be so disagreed in the point! Likewise if you ask them what
regeneration is, what sanctification is. But you will perhaps say, If men know not
what God is, what repentance, faith, conversion, justification, and sanctification are,
how can they be true Christians and be saved? . I answer, It is one thing to know
exactly what they are, and another thing to know them in their nature and effects, though
with a more general and indistinct knowledge; and it is one thing to know, and another
thing to tell what this or that is. The very name as commonly used doth signify to them,
and express from them the thing without a definition; and they partly understand what that
name signifieth, when they cannot tell it you in other words; as they know what it is to
repent, to believe, to be forgiven. By custom of speech they know what these mean, and yet
cannot define them, but perhaps put you off with the country answer: To repent is to
repent; and to be forgiven is to be forgiven; or if they can say, It is to be
pardoned, it is fair. Yet do I not absolutely dissuade you from the use of such
questions; but do it cautiously, in case you suspect some gross ignorance in the point;
especially about God himself.

(3) So contrive your questions, that they
may perceive what you mean, and that it is not a nice definition, but simply a solution,
that you expect; and look not after words, but things, and even leave them to a bare Yes,
or No, or the mere election of one of the two descriptions which you yourself may have
propounded. For example: What is God? Is he made of flesh and blood, as we are; or
is he an invisible Spirit? Is he a man, or is he not? Had he any beginning? Can he die?
What is faith? Is it a believing all the Word of God? What is it to believe in Christ? Is
it all one as to become a true Christian or to believe that Christ is the Savior of
sinners, and to trust in him, as your Savior, to pardon, sanctify, govern, and glorify
you? What is repentance? Is it only to be sorry for sin or is it the change of the mind
from sin to God, and a forsaking of it? or does it include both? 

(4) When you perceive that they do not
understand the meaning of your question, you must draw out their answer by an equivalent,
or expository question; or, if that will not do, you must frame the answer into your
question, and require in reply, but Yes, or No. I have often asked some very ignorant
people, How do you think that your sins, which are so many and so great, can be
pardoned?  And they tell me, By their repenting, and amending their
lives," and never mention Jesus Christ. I ask them further, But do you think
that your amendment can make God any amends or satisfaction for the sin that is past
 They will answer, We hope so, or else we know not what will?  One would
now think that these men had no knowledge of Christ at all, since they make no mention of
him; and some I indeed find have no knowledge of him; and when I tell them the history of
Christ, and what he is, and did, and suffered, they stand wondering at it as a strange
thing; and some say, They never heard this much before, nor knew it, though they came to
church every Lords day. But some, I perceive, give such answers, because they
understand not the scope of my question; but suppose that I take Christs death for
granted, and that I only ask them, What shall make God satisfaction, as their part
under Christ?   though in this, also, they reveal sad ignorance. And when I
ask them, Whether their good deeds can merit any thing from God?  they answer,
No; but they hope God will accept them. And if I ask further, Can you be
saved without the death of Christ?  they say, No. And if I ask, still
further, What hath he done or suffered for you?  they will say, He died
for us; or he shed his blood for us," and will profess that they place their
confidence in that for salvation. Many men have that in their minds which is not ripe for
utterance; and, through an imperfect education and disuse, they are strangers to the
expression of those things of which they yet have some conception. And, by the way, you
may here see reason why you should deal very tenderly with the common people for matter of
knowledge and defect of expression, if they are teachable and tractable, and willing to
use the means; for many, even ancient godly persons, cannot express themselves with any
tolerable propriety, nor yet learn when expressions are put into their mouths. Some of the
most pious, experienced, approved Christians that I know (aged people), complain to me,
with tears, that they cannot learn the words of the catechism; and when I consider their
advantages  that they have enjoyed the most excellent helps, in constant duty, and
in the best company, for forty, fifty, or sixty years together  it teacheth me what
to expect from poor ignorant people, who never had such company and converse for one year
or week; and not to reject them so hastily as some hot and too high professors would have
us do. (5) If you find them at a loss, and unable to answer your questions, do not drive
them too hard, or too long, with question after question, lest they conceive you intend
only to puzzle them, and disgrace them; but when you perceive that they cannot answer,
step in yourself, and take the burden off them, and answer the question yourselves; and do
it thoroughly and plainly, and give a full explanation of the whole truth to them, that,
by your teaching, they may be brought to understand it before you leave them. And herein
it is commonly necessary that you fetch up the matter from the beginning, and take it in
order, till you come to the point in question.

5. When you have done what you see cause
in the trial of their knowledge, proceed next to instruct them yourselves, and this must
be according to their several capacities. If it be a professor that understandeth the
fundamental principles of religion, fall upon somewhat which you perceive that he most
needeth, either explaining further some of the mysteries of the gospel, or laying the
grounds of some duty which he may doubt of, or showing the necessity of what he
neglecteth, or pointing out his sins or mistakes, as may be most convincing and edifying
to him. If, on the other hand, it be one who is grossly ignorant, give him a plain,
familiar recital of the sum of the Christian religion in a few words; for though it be in
the catechism already, yet a more familiar way may better help him to understand it. Thus:
You must know, that from everlasting there was one God, who had no beginning, and
will have no end, who is not a body as we are, but a most pure, spiritual Being, that
knoweth all things, and can do all things; and hath all goodness and blessedness in
himself. This God is but one, but yet Three Persons, the Father, the Son, and Holy Ghost,
in a manner that is above our understanding. And you must know, that this one God did make
all the world by his Word; the heavens he made to be the place of his glory, and a
multitude of holy angels to serve him. But some of these did, by pride or some other sin,
fall from their high estate, and are become devils, and shall be miserable for ever. When
he had created the earth, he made man, as his noblest creature here below, even one man
and one woman, Adam and Eve; and he made them perfect, without any sin, and put them into
the garden of Eden, and forbade them to eat of one tree in the garden, and told them that
if they ate of it they should die. But the devil, who had first fallen himself, did tempt
them to sin, and they yielded to his temptation, and thus fell under the curse of
Gods law. But God, of his infinite wisdom and mercy, did send his own Son, Jesus
Christ, to be their Redeemer, who, in the fullness of time, was made man, being born of a
virgin, by the power of the Holy Ghost, and lived on earth, among the Jews, about
thirty-three years, during which time he preached the gospel himself, and wrought many
miracles to prove his doctrine, healing the lame, the blind, the sick, and raising the
dead by his Divine power; and in the end he was offered upon the cross as a sacrifice for
our sins to bear that curse which we should have borne.

And now, if sinners will but
believe in him, and repent of their sins, he will freely pardon all that is past, and will
sanctify their corrupted nature, and will at length bring them to his heavenly kingdom and
glory. But if they make light of their sins and of his mercy, he will condemn them to
everlasting misery in hell. This gospel, Christ, having risen from the dead on the third
day, appointed his ministers to preach to all the world; and when he had given this in
charge to all his apostles, he ascended up into heaven, before their faces, where he is
now in glory, with God the Father, in our nature. And at the end of this world, he will
come again in our nature, and will raise the dead to life again, and bring them all before
him, that they may "give an account of all the deeds done in the body, whether they
be good, or whether they be evil." If, therefore, you mean to be saved, you must
believe in Christ, as the only Savior from the wrath to come; you must repent of your
sins; you must, in short, be wholly new creatures, or there will be no salvation for
you. Some such short rehearsal of the principles of religion, in the most familiar
manner that you can devise, with a brief touch of application in the end, will be
necessary when you deal with the grossly ignorant. And if you perceive they understand you
not, go over it again, and ask them whether they understand it, and try to fix it in their
memories.

6. Whether they be grossly ignorant or
not, if you suspect them to be unconverted, endeavor next to make some prudent inquiry
into their state. The best and least offensive way of doing this will be to prepare them
for the inquiry by saying something that may mollify their minds, and convince them of the
necessity of the inquiry, and then to take occasion from some article in the catechism to
touch their consciences. For example: You see that the Holy Ghost doth, by the Word,
enlighten mens minds, and soften and open their hearts, and turn them from the power
of Satan unto God through faith in Christ, and "purifies them unto himself a peculiar
people;" and that none but these shall be made partakers of everlasting life. Now,
though I have no desire, needlessly, to pry into any mans secrets, yet, because it
is the office of ministers to give advice to their people in matters of salvation, and
because it is so dangerous a thing to be mistaken as to points which involve everlasting
life or everlasting death, I would entreat you to deal honestly, and tell me, Whether or
not you ever found this great change upon your own heart? Did you ever find the Spirit of
God, by the Word, come in upon your understanding, with a new and heavenly life, which
hath made you a new creature? The Lord, who seeth your heart, doth know whether it be so
or not; I pray you, therefore, see that you speak the truth. If he tell you that he
hopes he is converted  all are sinners  but he is sorry for his sins, or the
like; then tell him more particularly, in a few words, of some of the plainest marks of
true conversion, and so renew and enforce the inquiry, thus: Because your salvation
or damnation is involved in this, I would fain help you a little in regard to it, that you
may not be mistaken in a matter of such moment, but may find out the truth before it be
too late; for as God will judge us impartially, so we have his Word before us, by which we
may judge ourselves; for this Word tells us most certainly who they are that shall go to
heaven, and who to hell. Now the Scripture tells us that the state of an unconverted man
is this: he seeth no great felicity in the love and communion of God in the life to come,
which may draw his heart thither from this present world; but he liveth to his carnal
self, or to the flesh; and the main bent of his life is, that it may go well with him on
earth; and that religion which he hath is but a little by the by, lest he should be damned
when he can keep the world no longer; so that the world and the flesh are highest in his
esteem, and nearest to his heart, and God and glory stand below them, and all their
service of God is but a giving him that which the world and flesh can spare. This is the
case of every unconverted man; and all who are in this case are in a state of misery. But
he that is truly converted, hath had a light shining into his soul from God, which hath
showed him the greatness of his sin and misery, and made it a heavy load upon his soul;
and showed him what Christ is, and what he hath done for sinners, and made him admire the
riches of Gods grace in him. Oh, what glad news it is to him, that yet there
is hope for such lost sinners as he; that so many and so great sins may be pardoned; and
that pardon is offered to all who will accept of it! How gladly doth he entertain this
message and offer! And for the time to come, he resigneth himself and all that he hath to
Christ, to be wholly his, and to be disposed of by him, in order to the everlasting glory
which he hath promised. He hath now such a sight of the blessed state of the saints in
glory, that he despiseth all this world as dross and dung, in comparison of it; and there
he layeth up his happiness and his hopes, and takes all the affairs of this life but as so
many helps or hindrances in the way to that; so that the main care and business of his
life is to be happy in the life to come. This is the case of all who are truly converted
and who shall be saved. Now, is this the case with you, or is it not Have you experienced
such a change as this upon your soul? 

If he say, he hopes he hath, descend to
some particulars, thus: I pray you then answer me these two or three questions.

(1) Can you truly say, that all the known
sins of your past life are the grief of your heart, and that you have felt that
everlasting misery is due to you for them; and that, under a sense of this heavy burden,
you have felt yourself a lost man, and have gladly entertained the news of a Savior, and
cast your soul upon Christ alone, for pardon by his blood?

(2) Can you truly say, that your heart is
so far turned from sin, that you hate the sins which you once have loved, and love that
holy life which you had no mind to before; and that you do not now live in the wilful
practice of any known sin? Is there no sin which you are not heartily willing to forsake,
whatever it cost you; and no duty which you are not willing to perform?

(3) Can you truly say, that you have so
far taken the everlasting enjoyment of God for your happiness, that it hath the most of
your heart, of your love, desire, and care; and that you are resolved, by the strength of
Divine grace, to let go all that you have in the world, rather than hazard it; and that it
is your daily, and your principal business to seek it? Can you truly say, that though you
have your failings and sins, yet your main care, and the bent of your whole life, is to
please God, and to enjoy him for ever; and that you give the world Gods leavings, as
it were, and not God the worlds leavings; and that your worldly business is but as a
travellers seeking for provision in his journey, and heaven is the place that you
take for your home? 

If he answer in the affirmative to these
questions, tell him how great a thing it is for a mans heart to abhor his sin, and
to lay up his happiness unfeignedly in another world; and to live in this world for
another that is out of sight; and, therefore, desire him to see that it be so indeed. Then
turn to some of the articles in the catechism, which treat of those duties which you most
suspect him to omit, and ask him, whether he performs such or such a duty; as for
instance, prayer in his family, or in private, and the holy spending of the Lords
day.

I would, however, advise you to be very
cautious how you pass too hasty or absolute censures on any you have to do with; because,
it is not so easy a matter to discern a man to be certainly graceless, as many imagine it
to be; and you may do the work in hand as well without such an absolute conclusion as with
it.

7. If, however, you have, either by
former discovery of gross ignorance, or by these later inquiries into his spiritual state,
discerned an apparent probability that the person is yet in an unconverted state, your
next business is, to employ all your skill to bring his heart to a sense of his condition.
For example: Truly, my friends, I have no mind, the Lord knows, to make your
condition worse than it is, nor to occasion you any causeless fear or trouble; but, I
suppose, you would account me a treacherous enemy, and not a faithful minister, if I
should flatter you, and not tell you the truth. If you seek a physician in your sickness,
you would have him tell you the truth, though it were the worst. Much more here! For there
the knowledge of your disease may, by your fears, increase it; but here you must know it,
or else you can never be recovered from it. I much fear that you are yet a stranger to the
Christian life. For if you were a Christian indeed, and truly converted, your very
heart would be set on God and the life to come, and you would make it your chief business
to prepare for everlasting happiness; and you durst not, you would not, live in any wilful
sin, nor in the neglect of any known duty.

Alas! what have you done? how have
you spent your time till now Did you not know that you had a soul to be saved or lost; and
that you must live in heaven or in hell for ever; and that you had your life and time in
this world chiefly for the purpose of preparing for another? Alas! what have you been
doing all your days that you are so ignorant, or so unprepared for death, if it should now
find you? If you had but as much mind of heaven as of earth, you would have known more of
it, and done more for it, and inquired more diligently after it, than you have done. You
can learn how to do your business in the world; and why could you not learn more of the
will of God, if you had but attended to it? You have neighbors that could learn more, that
have had as much to do in the world as you, and who have had as little time. Do you think
that heaven is not worth your labor? or that it can be had without any care or pains, when
you cannot have the trifles of this world without them, and when God hath bid you seek
first his kingdom and the righteousness thereof? Alas! my friends, what if you had died
before this hour in an unconverted state? what then had become of you, and where had you
now been? Alas! that you were so cruel to yourselves as to venture your everlasting state
so desperately as you have done! What did you think of? Did you not all this while know
that you must shortly die, and be judged as you were then found? Had you any greater work
to do, or any greater business to mind, than your everlasting salvation? Do you think that
all that you can get in this world will comfort you in a dying hour, or purchase your
salvation, or ease the pains of hell? 

Set these things home with a peculiar
earnestness; for if you get not to the heart, you do little or nothing; and that which
affecteth not is soon forgotten.

8. Conclude the whole with a practical
exhortation, which must contain two parts; first, the duty of believing in Christ; and
secondly, of using the external means of grace for the time to come, and the avoiding of
former sins. For example: My friend, I am heartily sorry to find you in so sad a
case, but I should be more sorry to leave you in it, and therefore let me entreat you, for
the Lords sake, and for your own sake, to regard what I shall say to you, as to the
time to come. It is of the Lords great mercy that he did not cut you off in your
unconverted state, and that you have yet life and time, and that there is a remedy
provided for you in the blood of Christ, and that pardon and sanctification and
everlasting life are offered to you as well as to others. God hath not left sinful man to
utter destruction, as he hath done the devils; nor hath he made any exception in the offer
of pardon and eternal life against you any more than against any other.

If you had yet but a bleeding heart
for sin, and could come to Christ believingly for recovery, and resign yourself to him as
your Savior and Lord, and would be a new man for the time to come, the Lord would have
mercy on you in the pardon of your sins, and the everlasting salvation of your soul. And I
must tell you that, as it must be the great work of Gods grace to give you such a
heart, so if ever he mean to pardon and save you, he will make this change upon you; he
will make you feel your sin as the heaviest burden in the world, as that which is most
odious in itself, and hath rendered you liable to his wrath and curse; he will make you
see that you are a lost man, and that there is nothing for you but everlasting damnation,
unless you are pardoned by the blood of Christ, and sanctified by his Spirit; he will make
you see the need you have of Christ, and how all your hope and life is in him; he will
make you see the vanity of this world and all that it can afford you, and that all your
happiness is with God, in that everlasting life in heaven, where you may, with the saints
and angels, behold his glory, and live in his love, and be employed in his praises. Let me
tell you that, till this work be done upon you, you are a miserable man; and if you die
before it is done, you are lost for ever. Now you have hope and help before you, but then
there will be none.

Let me therefore entreat you, as
you love your soul, First, That you will not rest in the condition in which you at present
are. Be not quiet in your mind till a saving change is wrought in your heart. Think, when
you rise in the morning, Oh, what if this day should be my last, and death should find me
in an unrenewed state? Think, when you are about your labor, Oh, how much greater a work
have I yet to do, to get my soul reconciled to God, and sanctified by his Spirit! Think,
when you are eating, or drinking, or looking on anything that you possess in the world,
What good will all this do me, if I live and die an enemy to God, and a stranger to Christ
and his Spirit, and so perish for ever? Let these thoughts be day and night upon your mind
till your soul be changed. Secondly, I entreat you to bethink yourself seriously what a
vain world this is, and how shortly it will leave you to a cold grave, and to everlasting
misery, if you have not a better treasure than it. And consider what it is to live in the
presence of God, and to reign with Christ, and be like the angels; and that this is the
life that Christ hath procured you, and is preparing for you, and offereth you, if you
will only accept of it; and oh think, whether it be not madness to slight such an endless
glory, and to prefer these fleshly dreams and earthly shadows before it. Accustom yourself
to such considerations as these when you are alone, and let them dwell upon your mind.
Thirdly, I entreat, that you will presently, without any more delay, accept of this
felicity, and this Savior. Close with the Lord Jesus that offereth you this eternal life:
joyfully and thankfully accept his offer as the only way to make you happy: and then you
may believe that all your sins will be done away by him. Fourthly, Resolve presently
against your former sins; find out what hath defiled your heart and life, and cast it from
you, as you would do poison out of your stomach, and abhor the thought of taking it again.

My last request to you is, that you
will set yourself to the diligent use of the means of grace till this change be wrought,
and then continue the use of these means till you are confirmed, and at last perfected.

(1) As you cannot of yourself effect this
change upon your heart and life, betake yourself daily to God in prayer, and beg
earnestly, as for your life, that he will pardon all your sins, and change your heart, and
show you the riches of his grace in Christ, and the glory of his kingdom. Follow God day
and night with these requests.

(2) Fly from temptations and occasions of
sin, and forsake your former evil company, and betake yourself to the company of those
that fear God, and will help you in the way to heaven.

(3) Be specially careful to spend the
Lords day in holy exercises, both public and private, and lose not one quarter of an
hour of any of your time; but especially of that most precious time which God hath given
you purposely, that you may set your mind upon him, and be instructed by him, and prepare
yourself for your latter end. What say you to these things? Will you do this presently, or
at least so much of it as you can? Will you give me a promise to this effect, and study
henceforth to keep that promise? 

And here be sure, if you can, to get
their promise, and engage them to amendment, especially to use the means of grace, and to
change their company, and to forsake their sins, because these are more within their
reach; and in this way they may wait for the accomplishing of that change that is not yet
wrought. And do this solemnly, reminding them of the presence of God who heareth their
promises, and who will expect the performance of them; and when you afterward have
opportunity, you may remind them of their promise.

9. At the dismissing of them, do these
two things:

(1) Mollify their minds again by a few
words, deprecating anything like offense. For example: I pray you, take it not ill
that I have put you to this trouble, or dealt thus freely with you. It is as little
pleasure to me as to you. If I did not know these things to be true and necessary, I would
have spared this labor to myself and you; but I know that we shall be here together but a
little while: We are almost at the world to come already; and therefore it is time for us
all to look about us, and see that we be ready when God shall call us.

(2) As you may not soon have an
opportunity to speak with the same persons, set them in the way of perfecting what you
have begun. Engage the master of each family to call all his family to repeat, every
Lords day, what they have learned of the catechism; and to continue this practice
till they have all learned it perfectly: and when they have done so, still to continue to
hear them regularly recite it, that they may not forget it; for, even to the most
judicious, it will be an excellent help to have in memory a Sum of the Christian Religion,
as to matter, method, and words.

As to the rulers of families themselves,
or those that are under such masters as will not help them, if they have learned some part
of the catechism only, engage them either to come again to you (though before their
course) when they have learned the rest, or else to go to some able experienced neighbor,
and repeat it to him; and do you take the assistance of such persons, when you cannot have
time yourself.

10. Have the names of all your
parishioners by you in a book; and when they come and repeat the catechism, note in your
book who come, and who do not; and who are so grossly ignorant as to be unfit for the
Lords supper and other holy communion, and who not: and as you perceive the
necessities of each, so deal with them for the future. But as to those that are utterly
obstinate, and will not come to you, nor be instructed by you, deal with them as the
obstinate despisers of instruction should be dealt with, in regard to sealing and
confirming ordinances; which is, to avoid them, and not to hold holy or familiar communion
with them in the Lords supper or other ordinances. And though some reverend brethren
are for admitting their children to baptism (and offended with me for contradicting it),
yet so cannot I, nor shall I dare to do it upon any pretences of their ancestors
faith, or of a dogmatical faith of these rebellious parents.

11. Through the whole course of your
conference with them, see that the manner as well as the matter be suited to the end.

And concerning the manner observe these
particulars:

(1) That you make a difference according
to the character of the persons whom you have to deal with. To the youthful, you must lay
greater shame on sensual voluptuousness, and show them the nature and necessity of
mortification. To the aged, you must do more to disgrace this present world, and make them
apprehensive of the nearness of their change, and the aggravations of their sin, if they
shall live and die in ignorance or impenitency. To inferiors and the young, you must be
more free; to superiors and elders, more reverend. To the rich, you must show the vanity
of this world; and the nature and necessity of self-denial; and the damnableness of
preferring the present state to the next; together with the necessity of improving their
talents in doing good to others. To the poor, you must show the great riches of glory
which are offered to them in the gospel, and how well present comfort may be spared when
everlasting joy may be got. Those sins must also be most insisted on which each ones
age, or sex, or temperament, or calling and employment in the world, doth most incline
them to; as in females, loquacity, evil speeches, passion, malice, pride; in males,
drunkenness, ambition, etc.

(2) Be as condescending, familiar, and
plain as possible, with those that are of weaker capacity.

(3) Give them Scripture proof of all you
say, that they may see that it is not you only, but God by you that speaketh to them.

(4) Be as serious as you can in the whole
exercise, but especially in the applicatory part. I scarce fear anything more, than that
some careless ministers will slubber over the work, and do all superficially and without
life, and destroy this as they do all other duties, by turning it into a mere formality;
putting a few cold questions to their people, and giving them two or three cold words of
advice, without any life and feeling in themselves, and not likely to produce any feeling
in the hearers. But surely he that valueth souls, and knoweth what an opportunity is
before him, will go through the exercise with deep seriousness, and will be as earnest
with them as for life or death.

(5) To this end, I should think it very
necessary that, both before and in the work, we take special pains with our own hearts, to
excite and strengthen our belief of the truth of the gospel, and of the invisible glory
and misery that are to come. I am confident this work will exceedingly try the strength of
our belief. For he that is but superficially a Christian, and not sound at bottom, will
likely feel his zeal quite fail him, especially when the duty is grown common, for want of
a belief of the things of which he is to treat. An affected hypocritical fervency will not
hold out long in duties of this kind. A pulpit shall have more of it, than a conference
with poor ignorant souls. For the pulpit is the hypocritical ministers stage: there,
and in the press, and in other public acts, where there is room for ostentation, you shall
have his best, perhaps his all. It is other kind of men that must effectually do the work
now in hand.

(6) It is, therefore, very meet that we
prepare ourselves for it by secret prayer; and, if time would permit, and there be many
together, it were well if we began and ended with a short prayer with our people.

(7) Carry on all, even the most earnest
passages, with clear demonstrations of love to their souls, and make them feel through the
whole, that you aim at nothing but their salvation. Avoid all harsh, discouraging
language.

(8) If you have not time to deal so fully
with each individual as is here directed, then omit not the most necessary parts. Take
several of them together who are friends, and who will not seek to divulge each
others weaknesses, and speak to them in common as much as concerneth all. Only the
examinations of their knowledge and state, and of their convictions of sin and misery, and
special directions to them, must be used to the individuals alone; but take heed of
slubbering it over with an unfaithful laziness, or by being too brief, without a real
necessity.

12. Lastly, If God enable you, extend
your charity to those of the poorest sort, before they part from you. Give them somewhat
towards their relief and for the time that is thus taken from their labors, especially for
the encouragement of them that do best. And to the rest, promise them so much when they
have learned the catechism. I know you cannot give what you have not, but I speak to them
that can. And now, brethren, I have done with my advice, and leave you to the practice.
Though the proud may receive it with scorn, and the selfish and slothful with distaste, or
even indignation, I doubt not but God will use it, in despite of the opposition of sin and
Satan, to the awakening of many of his servants to their duty, and the promoting of the
work of a right reformation; and that his blessing will accompany the present undertaking,
for the saving of many a soul, the peace of you that undertake and perform it, the
exciting of his servants throughout the nation to second you, and the increase of the
purity and the unity of his churches. Amen